There is a considerable difference between the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Americans now. The author of The Iliad, Homer, tells the readers a great story about two very different, yet very alike, types of heroes. The type of Heroism that is portrayed in The Iliad is extremely different from what the general American public would consider heroic today. The modernized version of The Iliad is the movie Troy, which talks about the same two main characters as The Iliad and gives them many of the same traits as the epic does, but slightly changes some of the circumstances in which they face and how they handle the situations they are put into.

In the epic novel The Iliad, Greek heroism is based on how great of a warrior someone is. A man basically had to choose one of two options - to be a hero and die young, or to live for a long time yet never amount to anything spectacular. The idea that most American people have of heroism is that of a superhero, someone without any flaws that has the well-being of the general public in mind. Another heroic figure in American society is a solider. A similarity between an American hero and Greek hero is that soldiers fight for their country and their people, much like the Greek heroes portrayed in The Iliad did.

The main character focus in The Iliad is Achilles. Achilles is the son of Thetis, an immortal sea-nymph, and Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. Because he was the son of Thetis, he was a demigod, which meant that he had one parent who was a God and another parent who was human. Demigods were much stronger than regular humans but did not have as much power as a God. Achilles was the greatest warrior in the Greek army, but that did not make him a hero. Achilles had many character flaws. He was a cry-baby. Whenever something did not go his way, he would cry to his mother about it like she could fix all of his problems. Sometimes she would actually make an effort to fix them, but one would expect a heroic character to be...

YOU MAY ALSO FIND THESE DOCUMENTS HELPFUL

...INSTRUCTIONS:
What characteristics from Emerson’s "Heroism" are most necessary for defeating a monster like Grendel? Use the Option B Writing Organizer to collect your thoughts before writing.
THE QUESTION:
What characteristics from Emerson’s “Heroism” are most necessary for defeating a monster like Grendel?
THE CHART:
Use this chart to organize the information you have learned in Emerson’s essay. For help answering the question, also use the notes...

...HERO OR ZERO?
In the Iliad, along with the glorification of war, there is a fixation on heroes. Heroes are warriors who are presented above the average foot soldier for a myriad of reasons. They not only act as leaders in battle, but as people to rally around. In the poem there are numerous heroes each with their own distinctive quality and purpose. Heroes all have an important thing in common; as they go, so go their soldiers.
The main heroes of the epic make their claim to fame in...

...Justin
Dissecting Heroism
There lies a world, where the majestic seas are complemented by roaring waves, where the pitfalls of temptations lure people to their graves, where the gods from Olympus holds the fate and life of the people. And here lies a hero, battling through hardships and blood shed, trying to make an indelible mark in history with his triumphant deeds and unquenchable thirst for honor. He lives by the name Odyssey, a man destined to win back his honor stolen by...

...﻿
“Heroism”
10/1/2014
Iyah Strange 2A
Arthur Ashe stated that “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” “Hero” a word derived from the Ancient Greek term for "protector” is commonly used in media and often thrown around in use and given to people that may not always meet the standards of being an actual hero. What is a hero? A hero is a...

...Brianna Pearson
Core-2
Date-9/30/12
Heroism Poem
A hero can be real or fictional but either way a hero goes through the same stages and has choices to make to help others at whatever cost. Someone may not seem like they could be a hero but by doing what they can, could help make a huge difference in someone’s life. Being a hero is not always what movies and comic books make it out to be; a hero can be a regular person...

...﻿A Discussion of Heroism in Literature and Film
Melissa Bushman, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Mar 1, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites.
Defining Heroism
Each individual has their own personal definition of heroism or more specifically the characteristics of a true hero. Some may believe that a hero must be a person of high morals, while others may believe that a hero must a brave person, and yet others may believe that a hero can...

...needed to make an ideal role model, leader, or hero unlike saints. John water explains, “The young do not really have models, except perhaps from the television. They do not even know themselves. It is true because courage is an essential quality in heroism. Heroes have courage to be true to themselves. They are celebrated for their courage, nobility, or exploits.
Our choice of hero / role model reveal what we value, and what is important to us therefore; we should base our...

...﻿Jonathan Brodhacker Brodhacker 1
Joe Baumann
S06/07
6 March 2014
Iliad: How does Homer define heroism in the Iliad?
Homer's Definition of Heroism in the Iliad is the subject we will be discussing in this paper. I believe Homer's view of a hero or of heroism is displayed by the hero showing bravery, compassion, and even friendship. While our particular heroes in the Iliad have what seems to be god-like qualities they both still...